A New York City male model was left severely disfigured by a knife-wielding assailant after protecting two women from a vicious attack while vacationing in Germany.
John Rudat, 21, was left bloodied and battered after trying to stop two victims from being violently assaulted on German public transit in the city of Dresden on Sunday, according to a GoFundMe created by Rudat’s brother’s girlfriend, Molly Sheldon.
The young model, who is also a paramedic, sustained a critical gash in the middle of his face from a six-inch blade.
He needed immediate medical attention and underwent extensive surgery in Germany.
Law enforcement officials said there were two attackers. They were both reportedly Syrian nationals.
One of these men was detained after the violent incident but released shortly after.
‘According to the on-call public prosecutor’s assessment, there were insufficient grounds for detention. The knife attack cannot be attributed to him,’ Senior Public Prosecutor Jurgen Schmidt told German outlet Bild.
The other suspect, who is believed to have actually stabbed Rudat, is still on the loose.
‘This horrible act against John leaves us devastated and seeking justice. He now faces a challenging recovery; physically, emotionally, and even financially as he works to heal from this incident,’ Sheldon wrote.
Rudat was visiting Dresden to see his former foreign exchange host family, according to The New York Post.
In a video retelling of the shocking attack, Rudat claimed the migrant who attacked him and the two women was a drug dealer ‘very popularly known’ in the area.